New Build

[toddrocky]

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. This PC will be used for converting videos into other file formats for viewing on various portable devices. Some gaming. Also run vitual machines using VMWare workstation.

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread. $900 - $1100.

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from. USA (microcenter)

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. Intel

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are. I have a WD Black 1TB hard drive that i will be using. I also have a HAF932 case which I just bought (unless there is something better).

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds. Maybe, not sure yet.

8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with. 1920 x 1080.

9. WHEN do you plan to build it? Within the next month.

10. Don't ask for a build configuration critique or rating if you are thin skinned.

Here is what I am thinking.

CPU - Intel i7 2600k - $279.99 or would you suggest an i5 - 2500k with an SSD as the boot drive?

MB - Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3H 1155 ATX - $?? depends on CPU

Memory - 16GB DDR3 1600 Vengeance Blue -$89.99

Boot Drive - WD Black 1TB or SSD (if SSD what size? is 60 gig big enough?)

Video Card - ?? is the video conversion done mainly on the CPU or does a good video card help. Need suggestions here

I am building this system to hopefully last 4 year or so.

Already have monitor, mouse and kb.

Power Supply - no idea

Open to any and all ideas.

 

[lehtv]

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2192841 - just drop the hard drive and case and double the RAM [if that's actually needed for VMWare, are you sure?] you're pretty much set. Also 2600K should help with encoding and VMWare, but $/performance 2500K is still better. If you don't really play games much or don't need high image quality settings, drop down to a 6850. In my opinion a 64GB SSD would be fine, it fits OS + programs easily.

This won't eat your whole budget but that's fine, no need to spend that much really. Save your cash for upgrades down the road. 4 years is a pretty long time, you'll probably want to upgrade at least the GPU sooner than that even if you're a light gamer.

 

[mfenn]

:thumbsup: to lehtv for pimping my thread. :awe:

But seriously, the i7 can help with encoding, but won't matter for VMWare unless you put a lot of heavy CPU VMs on it (no, a few mostly idle server and desktop instances don't count).

 

[toddrocky]

Okay - thanks for the input.

Let me know what you think of this now.

CPU - Intel i7 2600k - $279.99

MB - Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3H 1155 ATX - $149.99

Memory - 16GB DDR3 1600 Vengeance Blue -$89.99

Boot Drive - WD Black 1TB - already have

Video Card - Gigabyte GV-R6850C-1GD Radeon HD 6850 - 149.99

Case - Antec 1100 - 119.99

PSU - COOLER MASTER Silent Pro M600 RS-600-AMBA-D3 600W ATX12V V2.3 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS - 94.99

SSD - at a later date.

Is that power supply big enough, or is there a better one.

Already have monitor, mouse and kb.

 

[lehtv]

The ripjaws RAM is still $30 / 2x4GB. This was in the build I linked.

The Asrock board is better value for money, also in the build I linked. The XFX power supply, in the build that I linked, is much better value for money Silent Pro, although quality-wise the SP is good.

 

[mfenn]

The ripjaws RAM is still $30 / 2x4GB. This was in the build I linked.

The Asrock board is better value for money, also in the build I linked. The XFX power supply, in the build that I linked, is much better value for money Silent Pro, although quality-wise the SP is good.

:thumbsup: Ripjaws is OOS at the moment though, this Patriot is a good alternative once you factor in the rebate.